Planners give go-ahead to £2bn Aberdeenshire New Town

Aberdeenshire Council has given the green light to a £2bn New Town that could ultimately comprise as many as 8,000 homes, clearing the way for work to commence on a first phase of 802 homes and a small High Street.

Chapelton will be situated 10 miles to the south of Aberdeen on 2,000 acres of farmland the development will incorporate its own town centre and green space spread across seven distinct neighbourhoods.

The developer, Elsick Development Company, claims it will be the largest new settlement in Scotland for a generation and has pledged to create a range of industrial and business spaces in addition to housing.

EDC director Lord Southesk said: “Today’s news means we can potentially be on site in the Autumn and it will be very exciting to begin work on this landmark project. We believe that Chapelton will be a major economic boost to the area as well as addressing the need for housing of all types.

“With up to 8,000 homes planned in the long term, as well as schools, community facilities and commercial space, Chapelton is set to become a major new Aberdeenshire community.”

Turner & Townsend have been appointed to deliver phase one with Covell Matthews, Benjamin Tindall Architects, Brooks/Murray Architects, Lew Oliver and Marianne Cusato contributing to the design.

3 Comments

Let's hope the actual town built utilities the beautiful style of traditional architecture and doesn't cave into the demands of the concrete modernist brigade who have inflicted more damage on our cities than the bloody luftwaffe!

Give me this over the concrete paradise of Cumbernauld any day of the week.

Having just moved to Newtonhill, I'm initially concerned to hear of such a large development starting on my doorstep, particularly the long term effects on existing communities and the practicalities of a 'new town'.
I have reservations as to how well the local government and planning authority will address to the developers' need to make a profit, and balance it against a fair level of planning gain to the local community and infrastructure.
However, when I see the new developments at the Loch of Loriston and Portlethen, and the piece meal additions to the area over the last few decades, I can only assume that such a high profile developement on such a large scale, with correctly motivated managment, can only be an improvement.
David Southesk, I hope you take this chance to shine and leave a great legacy.

OOOhhhhh God not ANOTHER pastiche, pitched roof, chocolate box housing development! Why cant' we have something more inspired?! Something that actually pushes the boundaries of architecture and urbanism and explores new ways to create communities? Stop letting developer make these decisions! The city needs a plan for its future. Draw in the help of some of the UK's greatest architects to help design this vision. Then maybe we could have a city to be proud of instead of hiding away in our own little corner of the world, wallowing in our oil.